As I interact with Thai people and learn a bit more about the culture of these people, I continue to be amazed by the way these people care and interact with one another. I have noticed that the Thai people have a much stronger idea of community than that shared by most Americans. The Thai view of community can seen in the many tasks that are done as a group, the dependence people have on their family and even their ability to rely on the Buddhist community in times of great need.
Thai culture greatly emphasizes the idea of sharing. Here in Thailand, one often goes to a restaurant and orders various plates of food with the idea of sharing it all between the individuals within the group. Many people here have asked me if this activity is new to me, coming from the West, and it absolutely is. I am more used to every individual ordering a separate meal and eating together, but not literally off the same plate.
Thai people are also typically very dependent on their family unit, which is also rather different from the experience of many Western individuals. The bonds between family members are much more close-knit than the ones found in most Western communities.
